The Battle of Saint-Léonard, yesterday and today

“They are violating fundamental rights, the right we have to educate our children as we want. Mario Barone, defender of bilingual schools. » — Mario Barone, defender of bilingual schools

“It is not English culture that is threatened in Quebec, but French culture. [Les Canadiens français se battent pour] their fundamental rights to live fully in their language, particularly in the areas of work, communications, information, commerce, industry, posters, etc. » — Raymond Lemieux, defender of French schools

Two principles clash, two men embody them, two communities mobilize, two families suffer. The State must choose between two conceptions of Quebec, it does not do so, so everything goes wrong. This is what it says The Battle of Saint-Léonardby Felix Rose¹.

This documentary is already included in the list of a few films that must be seen to understand the Quebec of yesterday, but also to understand that of today, which is a tour de force.

The film, composed mainly of archive images, recounts the linguistic crisis of Saint-Léonard, one of the main clashes at the origin of Law 101. To see, therefore, to know this part of the story of Quebec. But also worth seeing because this film is disturbingly topical.

The Battle of Saint-Léonard highlights the confrontation between Mario Barone, who defends the absolute primacy of individual rights, and Raymond Lemieux, who defends the idea that they can be limited to ensure the survival of a small French nation in North America. This conflict took place in 1969, but it continues, even today, in approximately the same terms.

It continues in our CEGEPs where freedom of choice has consequences: there are 17.4% English speakers on the island of Montreal, but 48% of CEGEP diplomas are awarded in English.

It continues in the world of work where the place of French as a common language is constantly decreasing²hence the need for Law 96 which strengthens the francization of businesses.

It continues in the field of music, where we must legislate to protect access to radio waves and digital platforms through French song³.

It continues in the world of television where, there too, we must legislate to promote the discoverability of works produced in the common language of Quebec⁴.

For each of these examples, the basic debate is the same as in Saint-Léonard: which takes precedence, individual freedom and business freedom or rather the right of a community to protect its capacity to live in French?

This is the whole drama of these battles: in principle, the two positions defend each other. It is therefore the consequences of free choice that help us to decide.

We owe to Henri Lacordaire, French priest, journalist and politician, one of the most important sentences, in my humble opinion, in political science: “… between the strong and the weak, between the rich and the poor, between the master and the servant, it is freedom that oppresses and the law that liberates.” In linguistic matters, not legislating means endorsing the law of the strongest. In North America, between English and French, it is freedom that oppresses and the law that emancipates.

Augustine’s passiona film by Léa Pool, is an exceptional tool for better understanding Quebec’s relationship with religion. The movie February 15, 1839by Pierre Falardeau, pays homage to the ideals and bravery of our greatest heroes. The Battle of Saint-Léonardby Félix Rose, reminds us that nations progress thanks to the courage of men and women who engage in politics and who sometimes pay a high price for it. This documentary also reminds us that today, as in 1969, an absolutist conception of individual rights is equivalent to making English a common language. The battle is existential.

1. Read the movie review

2. Read “The exclusive use of French at work has seen a decline in Quebec”

3. Read “French-language music quotas maintained at 65%, CRTC decides”

4. Read the column “To sing together again”

What do you think? Participate in the dialogue